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🇬🇧 United Kingdom /Environment & Climate

West Point Fires Only Climate Scientist for Teaching Human Causes of Warming

From The Guardian · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Unnamed sources In the courts
  • West Point's only climate scientist, Adam Kalkstein, was fired after allegedly refusing to stop teaching about the human causes of climate change.
  • A lawsuit claims Kalkstein was terminated after a dispute with a brigadier general over his curriculum.
  • The firing raises concerns about the academic freedom to teach climate science at the US military academy.

The only climate scientist employed at West Point, the U.S. Military Academy, has been fired after allegedly resisting an order to cease teaching about the human causes of the climate emergency. Dr. Adam Kalkstein, a civilian geography professor, was terminated following the spring semester this year, according to a lawsuit filed in court.

The lawsuit details a contentious meeting six months prior between Kalkstein and Brig. Gen. Shane Reeves, who was then the dean of West Point's academic board. During this meeting, Kalkstein reportedly faced pressure regarding his curriculum. The filing compares the administration's order to 'trying to teach the law' without mentioning 'the constitution,' suggesting a fundamental obstruction of essential knowledge.

Kalkstein's termination has ignited concerns regarding academic freedom and the teaching of climate science within military educational institutions. As the sole expert on climate science at the academy, his dismissal leaves a significant void in the institution's ability to educate future military leaders on a critical global issue.

The case highlights a potential conflict between institutional directives and the established scientific consensus on climate change. The lawsuit seeks to address what Kalkstein's legal representatives describe as an unjust termination and a suppression of vital scientific information.

trying to teach the law without mentioning the constitution

— Dr Adam KalksteinKalkstein's comparison of the administration's order to his own teaching predicament, as cited in the lawsuit.
About this summary

Originally published by The Guardian in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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